Haven’t flown in years. My zone is “Main 1.†Waiting to board and thinking I’ll head over because I should be one of the first.
Enter long list of boarding groups stage left:
Deltas got ten different zones which seems like it might as well include right handed, left handed, capricorns, believes in ghosts, had their appendix out, etc etc etc.
Fucking Delta One/FC, Delta Diamond medallion, Delta Premium select, Delta Comfort plus, sky priority….then the main cabin groups. And it’s a pre-recorded thing with what seemed like mandatory time intervals between calling groups. Took forever.
Haven’t flown in years. My zone is “Main 1.†Waiting to board and thinking I’ll head over because I should be one of the first.
Enter long list of boarding groups stage left:
Deltas got ten different zones which seems like it might as well include right handed, left handed, capricorns, believes in ghosts, had their appendix out, etc etc etc.
Fucking Delta One/FC, Delta Diamond medallion, Delta Premium select, Delta Comfort plus, sky priority….then the main cabin groups. And it’s a pre-recorded thing with what seemed like mandatory time intervals between calling groups. Took forever.
In the words of Shoresy…so dumb.
End rant.
Pretty much everyone agrees it is insanity, but “status†and credit cards are important for airlines bottom line.
There was a pretty good thread a couple months ago.
Check post #39 from Ike for United boarding groups.
I completely agree the zones/groups are kind of absurd. I used to have 75k status with Alaska and now I’m plain MVP. I have to wait like a commoner. Is that too Windy?
I get around this by having my personal armed Federal Agent fly with me and we board first every time.
Haven’t flown in years. My zone is “Main 1.†Waiting to board and thinking I’ll head over because I should be one of the first.
Enter long list of boarding groups stage left:
Deltas got ten different zones which seems like it might as well include right handed, left handed, capricorns, believes in ghosts, had their appendix out, etc etc etc.
Fucking Delta One/FC, Delta Diamond medallion, Delta Premium select, Delta Comfort plus, sky priority….then the main cabin groups. And it’s a pre-recorded thing with what seemed like mandatory time intervals between calling groups. Took forever.
In the words of Shoresy…so dumb.
End rant.
Easy solution.
Book 1’st class and you are only behind “those needing extra time and active military”. And “those needing extra time” should be last as thy hold up the process.
The airlines have always been an example of stupid economics run amuk.
This boarding zone thing is Kafkaesque.
"Let’s board the front of the plane first.
It will take longer.
Inconvenience everyone.
People will miss connections.
That will cost us extra.
But…
importantly, stupid people will pay MORE for the privilege to wait LONGER in a more CONFINED space on the plane.
When this brilliant plan backfires we will go bankrupt AGAIN.
Bond holders, the government and tax payers will lose out and we will all be fired!!
LOSE
LOSE
LOSE
LOSE
Haven’t flown in years. My zone is “Main 1.†Waiting to board and thinking I’ll head over because I should be one of the first.
Enter long list of boarding groups stage left:
Deltas got ten different zones which seems like it might as well include right handed, left handed, capricorns, believes in ghosts, had their appendix out, etc etc etc.
Fucking Delta One/FC, Delta Diamond medallion, Delta Premium select, Delta Comfort plus, sky priority….then the main cabin groups. And it’s a pre-recorded thing with what seemed like mandatory time intervals between calling groups. Took forever.
In the words of Shoresy…so dumb.
End rant.
Easy solution.
Book 1’st class and you are only behind “those needing extra time and active military”. And “those needing extra time” should be last as thy hold up the process.
As Ike pointed out in the linked thread, United has 13 boarding groups and first class means you get seven groups in front of you.
It really should be fairly simple. No clue why people want to hurry up and wait (get on the plane ASAP) save for the overhead bin argument.
Load the back of the plane first in reverse row order. It will go much smoother. And you’re not allowed to put anything in a bin that is nowhere near your row.
First class? Just hold your horses about 10-15 extra minutes and that shouldn’t be a big deal because you’ve been at the airport for almost two hours now anyway. Plus that’s the trade off for choosing to pay for a big comfy seat with ample space and special attention by flight attendants.
Haven’t flown in years. My zone is “Main 1.†Waiting to board and thinking I’ll head over because I should be one of the first.
Enter long list of boarding groups stage left:
Deltas got ten different zones which seems like it might as well include right handed, left handed, capricorns, believes in ghosts, had their appendix out, etc etc etc.
Fucking Delta One/FC, Delta Diamond medallion, Delta Premium select, Delta Comfort plus, sky priority….then the main cabin groups. And it’s a pre-recorded thing with what seemed like mandatory time intervals between calling groups. Took forever.
In the words of Shoresy…so dumb.
End rant.
Easy solution.
Book 1’st class and you are only behind “those needing extra time and active military”. And “those needing extra time” should be last as thy hold up the process.
On United 1st class is behind people with disabilities, unaccompanied minors, Active Duty military, Global Services and 1K members. I am generally in one of those groups…which means I will be hit in the face by people’s bags as I sit in my isle seat.
A lady with a first-class seat starting yelling at me once when I escorted my blind wife on to the plane, screaming that I was cutting in line. …travel is so glamourous.
Plus that’s the trade off for choosing to pay for a big comfy seat with ample space and special attention by flight attendants.
The trade off for paying more is that you get worse service?
How does sitting at the gate an extra little bit equate to “worse service?â€
You paid for a first class ticket. That doesn’t mean you get to drop off or park closer than everyone else, you don’t get to skip the line at bag check when you first get there, you don’t get to skip the line at security with a first class ticket, you don’t get to skip the food lines with your first class ticket.
So if you don’t get to be first at everything else at the airport with a first class ticket then how does allowing for better boarding efficiency and your waiting an extra 10-15 min before you get on the plane equal worse service?
Presumably unless you have lounge access or TSA pre check or any of the other luxuries available without a first class ticket then your service doesn’t start until you board the plane itself. Then you get to experience all of the first class amenities you paid for.
Hardly seems like encroaching on their experience.
I’m Southwest A-list and recently I’ve been one of the first 10 on the plane. Southwest is like cattle overall. But A-list is pretty solid. Plus it automatically assigns you a boarding # without checking in so you don’t have to play the dumb Southwest game of opening app exactly 24 hours before flight time to try to get a good group/#.
Plus that’s the trade off for choosing to pay for a big comfy seat with ample space and special attention by flight attendants.
The trade off for paying more is that you get worse service?
How does sitting at the gate an extra little bit equate to “worse service?â€
You paid for a first class ticket. That doesn’t mean you get to drop off or park closer than everyone else, you don’t get to skip the line at bag check when you first get there, you don’t get to skip the line at security with a first class ticket, you don’t get to skip the food lines with your first class ticket.
So if you don’t get to be first at everything else at the airport with a first class ticket then how does allowing for better boarding efficiency and your waiting an extra 10-15 min before you get on the plane equal worse service?
Presumably unless you have lounge access or TSA pre check or any of the other luxuries available without a first class ticket then your service doesn’t start until you board the plane itself. Then you get to experience all of the first class amenities you paid for.
Hardly seems like encroaching on their experience.
When you hit the lotto check out the VIP services some airports have. LAX, LHR, FRA are insane. Private check in, car to the plane, private lounge. Really crazy. The only thing they do not remove is the bag to the face as everyone gets on the plane.
Plus that’s the trade off for choosing to pay for a big comfy seat with ample space and special attention by flight attendants.
The trade off for paying more is that you get worse service?
How does sitting at the gate an extra little bit equate to “worse service?â€
You paid for a first class ticket. That doesn’t mean you get to drop off or park closer than everyone else, you don’t get to skip the line at bag check when you first get there, you don’t get to skip the line at security with a first class ticket, you don’t get to skip the food lines with your first class ticket.
So if you don’t get to be first at everything else at the airport with a first class ticket then how does allowing for better boarding efficiency and your waiting an extra 10-15 min before you get on the plane equal worse service?
Presumably unless you have lounge access or TSA pre check or any of the other luxuries available without a first class ticket then your service doesn’t start until you board the plane itself. Then you get to experience all of the first class amenities you paid for.
Hardly seems like encroaching on their experience.
When you hit the lotto check out the VIP services some airports have. LAX, LHR, FRA are insane. Private check in, car to the plane, private lounge. Really crazy. The only thing they do not remove is the bag to the face as everyone gets on the plane.
Yea I get that there are other services you can pay for. And that some tickets do come with lounge access. But I’m talking about most first class tickets that apply to amenities and services in flight only.
If an airline is going to offer a la carte service upgrades or a full package then sure that is acceptable and understandable. But to my knowledge the majority of the first class passengers at the airlines I’ve flown aren’t those Private car to the plane ticket holders.
Haven’t flown in years. My zone is “Main 1.†Waiting to board and thinking I’ll head over because I should be one of the first.
Enter long list of boarding groups stage left:
Deltas got ten different zones which seems like it might as well include right handed, left handed, capricorns, believes in ghosts, had their appendix out, etc etc etc.
Fucking Delta One/FC, Delta Diamond medallion, Delta Premium select, Delta Comfort plus, sky priority….then the main cabin groups. And it’s a pre-recorded thing with what seemed like mandatory time intervals between calling groups. Took forever.
In the words of Shoresy…so dumb.
End rant.
Easy solution.
Book 1’st class and you are only behind “those needing extra time and active military”. And “those needing extra time” should be last as thy hold up the process.
On United 1st class is behind people with disabilities, unaccompanied minors, Active Duty military, Global Services and 1K members. I am generally in one of those groups…which means I will be hit in the face by people’s bags as I sit in my isle seat.
A lady with a first-class seat starting yelling at me once when I escorted my blind wife on to the plane, screaming that I was cutting in line. …travel is so glamourous.
Yep first class on United is apparently the 8th boarding group.
Fucking hell the amount of times I get hit when in my aisle seat.
I wish some first class passengers could lose their privileges for being dicks.
Air New Zealand boards 1st class / business class from the front doors and simultaneously economy class at the rear doors. This is A320 on domestic routes.
Yep** **first class on United is apparently the 8th boarding group.
They are more like the 3rd boarding group. The first group are medical, military and babies. The second group is Global services / 1K. Then you get to boarding Group 1 which includes first class (unless they are GS or 1K which most of them are).
Fucking hell the amount of times I get hit when in my aisle seat.
You could chose a window or middle seat if aisle seats are so miserable.
Yep** **first class on United is apparently the 8th boarding group.
They are more like the 3rd boarding group. The first group are medical, military and babies. The second group is Global services / 1K. Then you get to boarding Group 1 which includes first class (unless they are GS or 1K which most of them are).
Fucking hell the amount of times I get hit when in my aisle seat.
You could chose a window or middle seat if aisle seats are so miserable.
Ike provided a list in order of boarding for United and First Class was 8th: I’m repeated what I read.
And I never said the seat was miserable. I commented on how getting hit so much was miserable and that has more to do with self/awareness than my seat. Common decency means I make sure I don’t hit people with my belongings in public.
Ike’s list doesn’t really reflect reality. He listed a bunch of different groups separately (Platinum, Gold, Star Alliance Gold, First Class) that all get lumped together into Boarding Group 1. He was doing that in that thread to point out all the people who will board before they start the window seats first method. If you are at a United hub with a lot of frequent fliers, Boarding Group 1 can be about half the flight. By the time you are done with Boarding Group 2 (Silver and credit card holders) the plane can be mostly full and with no overhead bin space left.
